adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading To their surprise, Mr. Forbes came in, and looked them over with a chuckle.
airsnounUS /erz/
affected manners intended to impress others
From this reading "Well, you ARE ready for the fray, aren't you?" he said, taking in their dressy finery and their important, self-conscious airs.
Alicia
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Yes, Uncle Jeff," responded Alicia; "will you stay and see our young man?"
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading To their surprise, Mr. Forbes came in, and looked them over with a chuckle.
AREauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "Well, you ARE ready for the fray, aren't you?" he said, taking in their dressy finery and their important, self-conscious airs.
aren't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Well, you ARE ready for the fray, aren't you?" he said, taking in their dressy finery and their important, self-conscious airs.
CALLERnounUS /ˈkɔːlər/
a social or business visitor
From this reading THE CALLER The four girls, in the reception room, waited the coming of their guest.
cameverbUS /keɪm/
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading To their surprise, Mr. Forbes came in, and looked them over with a chuckle.
chucklenounUS /ˈtʃʌkəl/
a soft partly suppressed laugh
From this reading To their surprise, Mr. Forbes came in, and looked them over with a chuckle.
comingnounUS /ˈkʌmɪŋ/
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading THE CALLER The four girls, in the reception room, waited the coming of their guest.
dressyadjectiveUS /ˈdresi/
in fancy clothing
From this reading "Well, you ARE ready for the fray, aren't you?" he said, taking in their dressy finery and their important, self-conscious airs.
finerynounUS /ˈfaɪnəri/
elaborate or showy attire and accessories
From this reading "Well, you ARE ready for the fray, aren't you?" he said, taking in their dressy finery and their important, self-conscious airs.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "Well, you ARE ready for the fray, aren't you?" he said, taking in their dressy finery and their important, self-conscious airs.
Forbes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To their surprise, Mr. Forbes came in, and looked them over with a chuckle.
fournounUS /fɔːr/
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading THE CALLER The four girls, in the reception room, waited the coming of their guest.
frayverbUS /freɪ/
wear away by rubbing
From this reading "Well, you ARE ready for the fray, aren't you?" he said, taking in their dressy finery and their important, self-conscious airs.
girlsnounUS /ɡɜːrlz/
plural of “girl” — a young female
From this reading THE CALLER The four girls, in the reception room, waited the coming of their guest.
guestnounUS /ɡest/
a visitor to whom hospitality is extended
From this reading THE CALLER The four girls, in the reception room, waited the coming of their guest.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Well, you ARE ready for the fray, aren't you?" he said, taking in their dressy finery and their important, self-conscious airs.
heartilyadverbUS /ˈhɑːrtəli/
with gusto and without reservation
From this reading For some unexplained reason, Uncle Jeff laughed heartily.
importantadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpɔːrtənt/
of great significance or value
From this reading "Well, you ARE ready for the fray, aren't you?" he said, taking in their dressy finery and their important, self-conscious airs.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE CALLER The four girls, in the reception room, waited the coming of their guest.
Jeff
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Yes, Uncle Jeff," responded Alicia; "will you stay and see our young man?"
laughedverbUS /læft/
past form of “laugh” — produce laughter
From this reading For some unexplained reason, Uncle Jeff laughed heartily.
lookedverbUS /lʊkt/
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading To their surprise, Mr. Forbes came in, and looked them over with a chuckle.
mannounUS /mæn/
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading "Yes, Uncle Jeff," responded Alicia; "will you stay and see our young man?"
MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/
a form of address for a man
From this reading To their surprise, Mr. Forbes came in, and looked them over with a chuckle.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE CALLER The four girls, in the reception room, waited the coming of their guest.
ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading "Yes, Uncle Jeff," responded Alicia; "will you stay and see our young man?"
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading To their surprise, Mr. Forbes came in, and looked them over with a chuckle.
readyadjectiveUS /ˈredi/
completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress
From this reading "Well, you ARE ready for the fray, aren't you?" he said, taking in their dressy finery and their important, self-conscious airs.
reasonnounUS /ˈriːzən/
a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading For some unexplained reason, Uncle Jeff laughed heartily.
receptionnounUS /rɪˈsepʃən/
the manner in which something is greeted
From this reading THE CALLER The four girls, in the reception room, waited the coming of their guest.
respondedverbUS /rɪˈspɑːndɪd/
past form of “respond” — show a response or a reaction to something
From this reading "Yes, Uncle Jeff," responded Alicia; "will you stay and see our young man?"
roomnounUS /ruːm/
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading THE CALLER The four girls, in the reception room, waited the coming of their guest.
saidadjectiveUS /sed/
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Well, you ARE ready for the fray, aren't you?" he said, taking in their dressy finery and their important, self-conscious airs.
seeverbUS /siː/
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading "Yes, Uncle Jeff," responded Alicia; "will you stay and see our young man?"
self-consciousadjectiveUS /ˌselfˈkɑːnʃəs/
aware of yourself as an individual or of your own being and actions and thoughts
From this reading "Well, you ARE ready for the fray, aren't you?" he said, taking in their dressy finery and their important, self-conscious airs.
someadjectiveUS /sʌm/
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading For some unexplained reason, Uncle Jeff laughed heartily.
stayverbUS /steɪ/
stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading "Yes, Uncle Jeff," responded Alicia; "will you stay and see our young man?"
surprisenounUS /sərˈpraɪz/
the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
From this reading To their surprise, Mr. Forbes came in, and looked them over with a chuckle.
takingnounUS /ˈteɪkɪŋ/
the act of someone who picks up or takes something
From this reading "Well, you ARE ready for the fray, aren't you?" he said, taking in their dressy finery and their important, self-conscious airs.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE CALLER The four girls, in the reception room, waited the coming of their guest.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading THE CALLER The four girls, in the reception room, waited the coming of their guest.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading To their surprise, Mr. Forbes came in, and looked them over with a chuckle.
ToparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading To their surprise, Mr. Forbes came in, and looked them over with a chuckle.
UnclenounUS /ˈʌŋkəl/
the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt
From this reading "Yes, Uncle Jeff," responded Alicia; "will you stay and see our young man?"
unexplainedadjectiveUS /ˌʌnɪkˈspleɪnd/
not explained
From this reading For some unexplained reason, Uncle Jeff laughed heartily.
waitedverbUS /ˈweɪtɪd/
past form of “wait” — stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading THE CALLER The four girls, in the reception room, waited the coming of their guest.
WelladverbUS /wel/
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading "Well, you ARE ready for the fray, aren't you?" he said, taking in their dressy finery and their important, self-conscious airs.
willmodal verbUS /wɪl/
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading "Yes, Uncle Jeff," responded Alicia; "will you stay and see our young man?"
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading To their surprise, Mr. Forbes came in, and looked them over with a chuckle.
YesnounUS /jes/
an affirmative
From this reading "Yes, Uncle Jeff," responded Alicia; "will you stay and see our young man?"
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Well, you ARE ready for the fray, aren't you?" he said, taking in their dressy finery and their important, self-conscious airs.
youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading "Yes, Uncle Jeff," responded Alicia; "will you stay and see our young man?"
